Valentine's messages light up Leeds Station

Grace Newton

Commuters using Leeds Station this morning may have noticed some unusual 'arrivals' on the information boards.

For the electronic messaging system has been hijacked to display romantic messages from local passengers to their loved ones.

The idea came from Network Rail staff, who wanted to spread the love on Valentine's Day, and was inspired by the classic film Brief Encounter, which tells the story of a couple's passionate affair after meeting on a railway platform.

Social media users posted their messages to the station's Twitter account, and they then appeared on the arrival and departure boards in the style of regular service bulletins.

Among those glimpsed by commuters was 'Brannoc's' heartfelt message to their mum and the tribute 'Luke is my babe and I would travel many oceans to see him'.

There was also a cryptic 'I love my Mrs Beaver' from 'Mr Otter'.

Ros Hughes, station assistant for Network Rail at Leeds, said:

“We wanted to do something a bit different this year and we thought this would be a great way to spread the love this Valentine’s Day. We’ve had a whole host of different messages, ranging from those who want to wish their mums a good day and those which have used nicknames.

“We’ve loved seeing all the messages. It’s really made the day special and is a great way for us to engage with passengers.”

If you want to see your own message in lights for the evening commute tonight, Tweet @NetworkRailLDS.